Grading apparatus



July 17 1934. H. R. L Ewls 1,966,589

' GRADING APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1931 BY l s 4 T0 EY.

smaller will pass through the perforations of this reel as it is rotated. The reels 2 are also provided with perforations of the #3 size in order to insure the separation in this reel of any peas which were of suitable size to pass through the perforations of the initial reels, but which are unavoidably carried over into reels 2 in the endwise discharge from reels l due to the large bulk of peas in the initial screens. Reels 3 and 4 are provided with perforations of #4 and #5 sizes respectively so that the peas of #4 size pass through the perforations of reel 3 into a hopper 20 from where they are discharged through a spout 21 into any suitable receiver not shown. The #5 peaspass through the perforations of the screen 4 into a similar hopper 22 and all peas of #6 size or larger are tailed over the end of reel 4 into the hopper 23.

It will be noted that the hoppers 24 beneath the reels 1 are interconnected as are also the hoppers 25 beneath the reels 2 (see Figure 3) and these hoppers are adapted to discharge onto an endless conveyor 26 positioned beneath and between the reels. The conveyor 26 is composed of a series of articulated buckets 27 running in guides 28 and the conveyor passes around suitable sprockets 29 and 30. The sprocket 30 is driven from shaft 31 through the medium of gears 32 and 33 and pulley 34 thus operating the conveyor in the direction of the arrows. As illustrated, the conveyor is elevated at its discharge end so that the peas discharged therefrom are received by the split feed hopper 35 which directs the peas into the regrading reels.

The regrading reels 5 and 6 are provided with #l size perforationswhile regrading reels 7 have #2 perforations. These reels operate to separate the peas in exactly the same manner as the prmary reels, the peas of #l size being discharged into the hoppers 36 and 37; those ofv #2 size into the hopper 38; and the #Ss being tailed over the end of reel 1 into the hopper 39.

In operation the peas'to be graded are fed by any suitable means into the split hopper 19, half of the peas being directed into veach line of reels. As the reels are rotated, the mass of peas moves toward the discharge end of the reels due to their inclination, being all the while tumbled and rolled about over the inner surfaces of the reels. In this manner the various sizes of peas pass through the correspondingly sized perforations in the several reels and are deposited with their proper groups. All the numbers 1, 2 and 3 sizes pass through the perforations in the reels 1 and 2 and are received by the conveyor 26 which elevates them and discharges them into the split feed hopper 35 from where they enter the regrading reels. These peas are` then separated into their respective groups by the-regrading reels as described above.

It is believed that the advantages of this construction will now be apparent. The primary grading reels and the regrading reels being on substantially the same level, thev vertical clearance required for the apparatus is reduced to a minimum, and all of the reels are easily accessible. The feeding means for the peas 'to be regraded is positive and gentle in operation and there is no possibility of clogging.

While I have described the apparatus in connection with the grading of peas, it will be understood that it maybe used with other granular material as well, and the term peas as used thrughoutthedescriptionf.is....to be construed as including suiif'otnerimatefials Havig newsfdesribenj myesmventon and n what manner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows:-

1. In an apparatus for grading granular material, a plurality of primary cylindrical grading screens arranged in axially aligned endwise abutting relation whereby each succeedingscreen receives the endwise discharge from the screen forwardly thereof, a secondary cylindrical grading screen having its axis disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane with the axes of the primary screens, said secondary grading screen being spaced from the primary grading screens, a single endless elevating conveyor disposed to one side of said primary grading screens and having a ,receiving portion lower than a forward primary grading screen whereby to receive the discharge therefrom by gravity, said elevating conveyor having an inclined portion extending upwardly beside the primary grading screens to convey 'the material received by its receiving portion to an elevated point of discharge, chute means beneath a forward primary grading screen for receiving material discharged therethrough and directing it to the'receiving portion of said conveyor, and chute means disposed to receive the discharge` from said conveyor and direct it into the secondary grading screen. f

2. In an apparatus for grading granular material, a plurality of primary cylindrical grading screens arranged in axially aligned endwise abutting relation whereby each succeeding screen receives the endwise discharge from the screen forwardly thereof, a secondary cylindrical grading screen disposed in coaxial alignment with the primary screens and spaced therefrom, an endless elevating conveyor disposed to one side of said primary grading screens and having a receiving portion lower than a forward primary grading screen whereby to receive the` discharge therethrough by gravity, and having an inclined' portion extending upwardly beside the primary grading screens to elevate the material received by its receiving portion and discharge the same tothe secondary screen for regrading, a common drive shaft for said primary and secondary screens extending alongside thereof, and meansv on said drive shaft for driving all of said screens.

3. In an apparatus for grading granular Ymaterial, two lines of grading screens extending alongside each other, each line comprising a plurality of primary grading screens arranged in aligned endwise abutting relation whereby each succeeding screen receives the endwise discharge from the screen forwardly thereof, and a secondary grading screen spaced from said'lprimary grading screens and having its axis disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane with the axes of the primary screens, an endless elevating conveyor extending upwardly between said lines of grading screens and having itsreceiving portion lower than the forward primary grading screens whereby to receive the dischargeitherethrough by gravity, said elevating conveyor being arranged to convey the material so received to an elevated point of discharge, chute means beneath certain of the forward primary screens of each line for receiving material discharged therethrough and directing it to the receivngportion of said. conveyor, and chute means disposed to receivethe discharge from said conveyor and direct a portion of it into each of the secondary grading screens. y i l and; Inanfapparatuszrongradingieranular ma.- de'ri twqslinesgeef 'Qy-l'ildl'cl izglndiiig e19r extending alongside each other, each line comprising a plurality of primary grading screens arranged in axially aligned endwise abutting relation whereby eachv succeeding screen receives the endwise discharge from the screen forwardly thereof, and a secondary grading screen disposed in coaxial alignment with the primary screens and spaced therefrom, an endless elevating conveyor extending upwardly between said lines of grading screens and having its receiving portion lower than the forward primary grading screens whereby to receive the discharge therethrough by gravity, said elevating conveyor being arranged to convey the material so received to an elevated point of discharge, chute means beneath certain ofA the forward primary screens of each line for receiving material discharged therethrough and directing it to the receiving portion of said conveyor, and chute means disposed to receive the discharge from said conveyor andrdirect a portion of it into each of the secondary grading screens.

5. In an apparatus for grading granular material, two lines of cylindrical grading screens extending alongside each other, each line comprising a plurality of primary grading screens arranged in axially aligned endwise abutting relation whereby each succeeding screen receives the endwise discharge from the screen forwardly thereof, and a secondary grading screen disposed in coaxial alignment with the primary screens and spaced therefrom, an endless elevating conveyor extending upwardly between said lines of grading' directing it to the receiving portion of said conveyor, chute means disposed to receive the discharge from said conveyor and direct a portion of it into each of the secondary grading screens, a common drive shaft extending alongside the primary and secondary screens of each line, and means on each drive shaft for driving all of the screens of its corresponding line.

Y HAROLD R. LEWIS. 

